“Forgiveness”
Genesis 50:15-21
Sermon Series: “Building Blocks of Healthy Relationships”
Introduction: All of us have been and will be injured in varying ways by other people in our lives. There is a debt that is produced by that injury. The choice that we then have to make is between trying to collect that debt and choosing to cancel the debt, which is forgiveness. As we continue this series about healthy relationships, we are going to look at the relationship between Joseph and his brothers from the Old Testament. Joseph is possibly the most exemplary character in the Old Testament, and we are going to learn from his example regarding forgiveness.
Main Idea: Forgiveness is choosing to cancel the debt that has arisen from someone injuring me. In other words, it is choosing to not hold the wrong against him any more.
There is no doubt that forgiving can be a very difficult thing to do. It is actually even counterintuitive. We naturally want justice so why should we forgive?
1. Forgiveness sets us free. This is not specifically stated in this story, but it is clearly demonstrated. Joseph was much freer than his brothers. He was free to do God’s will, enjoy his life, and treat them with love. They were living in the bondage of guilt and fear. It has been said that “forgiveness is setting a prisoner free and finding out the prisoner is you.” Hebrews 13:14-15 says, “Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”
2. Vengeance belongs to God instead of us. In Genesis 50:19, Joseph said to his brothers, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?” The implication of this is that he was not going to hurt
them because He was not in God’s place, and it is God’s place to enact vengeance and not ours. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” The key to this is realizing our place and God’s place and trusting that He is a just God who will deal with sin.
3. God brings good out of even evil things (v. 20).
A. Be honest about the wrong. Joseph was blunt with
them about their wrongdoing. Forgiveness is about being honest about the wrong-not excusing or sugar-coating it. One of the things that sets Christianity about is that we have a realistic hopefulness regarding evil in the world. We do not pretend like it is not real, but we know that Jesus ultimately triumphs over it.
B. God does not cause evil.
C. God is a good God who always has a good purpose (Romans 8:28).
D. God is in control. He is sovereign, and nothing happens that He does not cause or allow to happen.
4. We can be gracious to others because God has been gracious to us (v. 21). Forgiveness is demonstrated by actions. Joseph is a picture of Jesus. Forgiveness is ultimately about Jesus. We should graciously forgive others because:
A. Jesus’ Command-“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
B. Jesus’ Example-When He was on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they
do” (Luke 23:34).
C. Jesus’ Grace-He told a story in Matthew 18:21-35 that illustrates we are to graciously forgive based on how He has graciously forgiven us.
